Adventures Archives

Women’s Splitboards and Gear: The Complete List

Paulina DaoFebruary 1, 202104K views

Snowsports are an outdoor activity that’s about as bro-y as it gets. The outdoor market caters to men, and it’s super obvious when you try to shop for splitboard gear. As women, we sometimes need gear that fits our bodies better. Splitboards and all the associated hardware are no different. Because the offering for women is so small, I scoured the internet for as much women’s splitboard gear as I could find. Here’s a complete list of women’s splitboards and other necessary gear to get out in the backcountry.

Please note, this is not a list of recommendations. This is simply everything that exists out there for women. I’ll be uploading my splitboard kit soon!

AIARE Scholarships: The Ultimate List

Paulina DaoJanuary 19, 202101.3K views

So you wanna get out in the backcountry in the winter. Backpacking and hiking look very different with the addition of a very cold beast: snow. With snow comes navigation challenges and more dangerously: avalanches. Learning to mitigate risk in the wintry backcountry is essential to staying alive. To do so, most folks take an Avalanche Institute for Avalanche Research and Education (AIARE) course. AIARE courses can be quite cost-prohibitive, especially for folks who are underrepresented in the winter backcountry. I’ve compiled a list of all available AIARE scholarships, or AIARE-adjacent scholarships below.

How to Prevent Body Acne in the Outdoors

Paulina DaoDecember 23, 202012.3K views

I’ve been plagued with body acne since my teenaged years. It’s something I’m always super self-conscious about. The sweaty, dirtiness that inherently comes with being an outdoors person is the perfect breeding ground for body acne. Throughout the years, I’ve slowly refined and tweaked my skincare routine to manage bacne. Here’s how to prevent body acne (or bacne) in the outdoors, and anywhere else, really.

Jobs Peak to Freel Peak Traverse, South Lake Tahoe

Paulina DaoAugust 27, 202021.7K views

I decided to do the Sierra High Route, and, well, I don’t really hike. With the trip on the calendar, I took some time to get some miles and elevation on these stubby little climber legs. Armed with 6L of water and camera gear in my pack, hiking Jobs Peak to Freel Peak ended up being the perfect sufferfest for training.

5 Day Mineral King Backpacking Loop

Paulina DaoJuly 29, 202022.4K views

As a young lass, Walden West Outdoor School & Summer Camp took me on my first backpacking trips on the Skyline-to-the-Sea route through the Santa Cruz Mountains. As the years went on, they added more offerings in the Sierra, which is how I discovered Mineral King. I’ll never forget flipping through those brochures in awe of kids jumping off rocks into alpine lakes. After 15+ years of waiting, my boots (trail runners, more accurately) finally touched the trails of Mineral King. If you’ve got some time to spare, this 5-day Mineral King backpacking loop is a must-do.